WILD FOWL 
T O give in a single chapter a really complete account of all the 
swans, geese, ducks and mergansers to be met with in British 
waters would obviously be an impossible task and quite beyond 
the scope of the present work. I have therefore only aimed at 
supplying such information as may be of interest to sportsmen 
and to those who are desirous of identifying the members of 
the duck-tribe which they are likely to meet with in a wild state. Descrip- 
tions of the plumage of the adult male and female of each species are given 
in detail, likewise their general distribution abroad and in the British 
Isles, together with some particulars as to their nidification, food and 
general habits. As a further aid to identification I have drawn up a general 
key to all the species on the British list, which, as far as I am aware, has 
never before been attempted. The characters employed have been care- 
fully selected, and it is hoped that any person making use of the key 
will be able to name examples of any species, either male or female, 
without much trouble or difficulty. 
To those who have never tried to use a key it may at first sight appear 
a very involved and complicated affair, but if properly constructed it 
should be easily read, and should prove most valuable in facilitating 
identification. Several of my friends with no special knowledge of ducks 
have been kind enough to test the present key, selecting the more obscure 
looking females of the sea-ducks, which are generally considered the least 
easy to name. As in every instance they were successful in correctly 
determining the species it is hoped that others will find this part of the 
work equally useful. 
In using a key it is all-important to pay attention to the lettering in 
front of the various headings, and to remember that if the characters 
given in “^4 ” do not fit the specimen to be named those under “fi” 
or “ C” must be tried. 
Let us suppose that a grey lag-goose has been shot, and that it is desired 
to name it quickly with as little trouble as possible. With the bird on 
the table before one, one takes the key and reads the first general heading 
“I,” which does not agree, while the characters given under “II” do 
so perfectly. Following on, one finds the character of the hind toe given 
in “C” also agrees, likewise those given under “c,” “ and 
“ but not under “ ; so one tries “ which again agrees, 
and thus easily arrives at the fact that the bird is a grey lag -goose, 
pp 289 
